PORR Deutschland has secured a contract worth approximately €360m from the North Rhine-Westphalia Roads Agency to build a new Rhine bridge in Leverkusen, Germany.

Under the contract, PORR will be responsible for demolition, construction and expansion of the motorway bridge A1 Dortmund / Koblenz over the River Rhine.

The project is slated for completion in 2024 and will see an enhancement in the bridge capacity from six lanes to eight lanes.

In order to ensure traffic flow, construction works will be carried out in two phases.

The first phase of the bridge construction will begin from the north, which is directly beside the existing bridge, and is expected to be completed by the end of 2020.

Upon completion of the works, the bridge will be opened to the traffic, thereby allowing the authorities to begin the second phase construction works.

“Everyone involved in the project will benefit from the close cooperation of the well-coordinated team of civil engineers, PORR Umwelttechnik and the subsidiaries Stump Spezialtiefbau and PORR Oevermann.”

The second phase is slated for completion by the end of 2024.

In addition to the bridge capacity expansion, the project will involve one hard shoulder for the two adjoining structures and a 3.25m-wide lane for cyclists and pedestrians on each side.

PORR Deutschland managing director Stephan Hebgen said: “Everyone involved in the project will benefit from the close cooperation of the well-coordinated team of civil engineers, PORR Umwelttechnik and the subsidiaries Stump Spezialtiefbau and PORR Oevermann.”

Used by 120,000 vehicles every day, Rhine Bridge is approximately 50 years old and is said to be one of the busiest motorway bridges in Germany.